If a boat is not already set up for a symetric spinnaker, it is much more complicated and expensive to do than an a-kite. You will need a longer pole with ends, a mast track and car, (or at minimum a ring), a pole uphaul and downhaul, tweakers, or on a bigger boat, dedicated guys and forward leads for those guys. Symetric kites are more complicated to rig and to fly. Gybing requires someone to go forward. If you are single handing you will have to rely on an auto helm, or lock off the helm. If you are in seas with any kind of wind you can get into big trouble if a wave knocks you off course while you are gybing the pole. Sure, those of us who race and have flown spinnakers for years can pull it off, and yes we look god-like when we do! having said that, there is no way I would recommend it to a newbie.

It is true that you can sail deeper with a symetric chute, but DDW sucks! It is the slowest point of sail, and I avoid it if I can!

Practical Sailor did a nice article on the proliferation of long noses on boats, both new and add on's.

Bottom line Joel - unless you SERIOUSLY reinforce the ENTIRE bow area for loads in all directions (including shear) you might wind up with an expensive bit of rhino-plasty the first time it gets all white knuckle on you.
Your bow was not designed for loads in front of the bow, and it will interfere with anchoring.

Thanks for the comparison and for providing me with a segue to post another of my singlehanded spinnaker videos (purely for the benefit of the OP). Doesn't this look like fun, forget the sprit project:

I'm not suggesting that you should fly a monster chute off a 10' homemade sprit, but the benefits of a sprit are well documented and the sprit seems to be the future of sailing, especially when used with 'code' sails.

I race on an old (1980) c&c 34. The owner is constantly updating the boat. For last season he added a code 0 sail for reaching in light air. He didn't add a sprit for this, but we do use the spin pole as makeshift sprit and it seems to work ok.

Furling the code sail is MUCH easier than dropping a chute, especially when sailing with an inexperienced crew.

Barry

Quote:

Originally Posted by chucklesR

Practical Sailor did a nice article on the proliferation of long noses on boats, both new and add on's.

Bottom line Joel - unless you SERIOUSLY reinforce the ENTIRE bow area for loads in all directions (including shear) you might wind up with an expensive bit of rhino-plasty the first time it gets all white knuckle on you.
Your bow was not designed for loads in front of the bow, and it will interfere with anchoring.

Seriously though, I'm appreciating all the feedback and have, based on the range of opinions, decided to throttle back my enthusiasm and get better educated in order to weigh all the pros and cons. I decided I need to hook up with more experienced sailors, in the spring, in hopes of getting a better idea of all the ins and outs of downwind sails. Quote:Furling the code sail is MUCH easier than dropping a chute, especially when sailing with an inexperienced crew. ----See I like this idea, this is what is motivating me!

Lastly, in response to Chuckles: I'm not an engineer but I'm pretty sure my Catalina 27 is a little more solid than all that. But I appreciate the concern!

Furling the code sail is MUCH easier than dropping a chute, especially when sailing with an inexperienced crew.

I've never used a Code sail with a furler. Can you compare the easy of furling it to using an asymmetrical with a sock? Both have a similar end result (pull on a line and put the whole sail into a linear form) but do it in very different ways.

I've never used a Code sail with a furler. Can you compare the easy of furling it to using an asymmetrical with a sock? Both have a similar end result (pull on a line and put the whole sail into a linear form) but do it in very different ways.

This video will give you an idea. (It's a commercial from my sailmaker)

First let me state that I am not an expert. I have used the furling unit with a Code 0 and an Asymmetric sail about 5 times. My previous boat came with am asymmetric sail in a sock, and I flew that many times.

IMHO, the furling unit is easier to use.

It's easier to set up and use the furling unit than to set up and use the chute in sock.

Don't get me wrong, I found using the sock to be pretty easy, and, to be perfectly honest, I would like to buy a used chute / sock when someone moves up to a furling gennaker. But IMHO the furler is easier.

Barry

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alex W

I've never used a Code sail with a furler. Can you compare the easy of furling it to using an asymmetrical with a sock? Both have a similar end result (pull on a line and put the whole sail into a linear form) but do it in very different ways.

First let me state that I am not an expert. I have used the furling unit with a Code 0 and an Asymmetric sail about 5 times. My previous boat came with am asymmetric sail in a sock, and I flew that many times.

IMHO, the furling unit is easier to use.

It's easier to set up and use the furling unit than to set up and use the chute in sock.

Don't get me wrong, I found using the sock to be pretty easy, and, to be perfectly honest, I would like to buy a used chute / sock when someone moves up to a furling gennaker. But IMHO the furler is easier.

Barry

Might be a bit of an apples to oranges comparison we're making here...

When you say that you furled an "asymmetric sail", or "gennaker", did you do so with one of the new Top-Down furlers like those from Karver? Or an older Roll-Gen? Because those are the only way to "furl" an asymmetrical spinnaker that I'm aware of... And, those units like the Karver, are VERY expensive...

People tend to use the terms "asymmetrical", "gennaker", and "Code 0" interchangeably, but the Code 0 is a very different sail, with a straight luff of high strength that makes it possible to furl in a conventional manner... That can't be done with a spinnaker...

The top-down systems were first developed for the big superyachts, where the sheer size and weight of a sock made for difficult handling by the crew... But for the sort of boats most of us sail, I still think a sock is the way to go... The top-down furlers need to be tacked to either the stem, or a sprit, they appear to lack the versatility of being able to fly an asymmetrical spinnaker using a pole, for instance... Never having used one myself, however, I'm not certain about that... Has anyone out there used one? I'd be interested in hearing your take...

Another advantage of the sock, it's possible to actually "reef" your chute during squally conditions, etc - without having to douse it completely...

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